Sister port under PAT study

The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) is kicking off a feasibility study on a sister-port project to link Ranong with Myanmar and Malaysia.

"This will be a link for goods and services with the ports in Yangon and Penang," said Surapong Rongsirikul, deputy director-general of the Thai agency.

"The sister-port project is part of the PAT's plan to promote shipments through the Ranong port towards Yangon. Plus, this will complement intra-regional shipments, to support the Asean Economic Community."

According to Myanmar's Ministry of Transport, the Port of Yangon handles about 90 per cent of the country's exports and imports.

A meeting was held recently in Ranong with the regional port agency and the province's deputy governor, Suphawat Sakda, as well as other organisations. They discussed the possibility of turning the Ranong port into Yangon's sister port. Capacity and obstacles were discussed at length, aiming to materialise a plan that would establish an Andaman Sea link for countries in the Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) group.

PAT says it is committed to provide all resources to materialise the plan. More discussions will follow, while PAT will launch an in-depth study on how to promote trade and services. Business matching for operators in Yangon and Ranong is part of the plan.